Four people are dead in Mexico City. Not from a cartel shootout or a political protest, but from what should have been a moment of unbridled joy: World Cup celebrations. The UK embassy has issued a travel warning, a sobering reminder that even our collective euphoria can curdle into tragedy.
This is not a story about football hooliganism or organised violence. It is a story about crowd psychology, about how thousands of people compressed into tight spaces can become a force of nature, indifferent to individual lives. The victims were likely swept up in the wave of celebration, their final moments a crush of bodies and deafening cheers.
For the rest of us, this incident pulls back the curtain on a darker side of mass events. We talk about the 'beautiful game' but overlook the ugly potential of its fans. In the coming days, expect questions about policing, crowd control, and the ethics of allowing such gatherings.
But for now, spare a thought for the four families who lost loved ones in a moment that was meant to be pure happiness.
